How to validate the cluster in an existing cluster?

[Bud]

When cluster validation is executed on a cluster already configured, if tests are selected by default, will only be used to appraise the storage resources of disks that are offline or not assigned to an application or service cluster. This is based on a sheltered mechanism. The cluster validation wizard reports in cases where tests have been selected for storage but will not run into storage with online status, ie the storage used by clustered applications or services. And is designed to avoid disruption of applications or high-availability services that depend on these disk resources are online.

The test system configuration, inventory and testing network tests have very squat overhead and can be made without a perceptible effect on the servers in a cluster. The services of Microsoft Customer Support (CSS) may also request the execution of the validation of the cluster in a cluster of production as part of normal procedures for solving problems. In this scenario, the wizard will perform an inventory of hardware and software, conduct a network test and validate the system configuration. There may be some scenarios where you only need a subset of all tests. For example, if you are troubleshooting a network problem on a cluster of production, services of Microsoft Customer Support (CSS) may ask you to run only the inventory of hardware and software and network testing.

Another scenario in which the services of Microsoft Customer Support (CSS) may ask you to run the cluster validation in production is when an error cluster storage possibly by mistake or change in the underlying storage configuration. By default, the wizard warns you that have been selected storage tests but was not implemented in storage that is online, ie in storage used by applications or services in cluster. In this situation, you can perform a valid test to create or choose a logical unit number (LUN) of the new shared storage device and present it to all nodes. When testing this LUN, you can avoid the interruption of applications and services that are already clustered within the cluster online and even test the underlying storage subsystem.

If a failover cluster passed the inclusive set of validation tests and no hardware or software changes in future, then being measured a supported configuration. However, when making routine updates to software components, such as drivers and firmware, you may need to rerun the validation wizard to make certain that the current configuration supports failover cluster. The following instructions can help in this process:

• All components of the storage stack must be identical on all cluster nodes. These components consist of HBA, HBA firmware and drivers, software I / S and multi-path components of the device specific module (DSM).
  
• To minimize the impact on services and applications highly available, a recommended practice is to maintain a small LUN available to allow the Wizard to run validation tests on the available storage without adversely affecting the applications and services cluster. Thus, if the customer support services from Microsoft (CSS) you are asked to run a full set of cluster validation tests, the wizard will execute the default behavior and evidence in the available storage (only the new LUN).

[Bud]

Procedures to provide a validation report when you get Microsoft support

Microsoft will help you gather the validation report through the Diagnostic Tool for Microsoft support (TBM), which replaces the usefulness of data collection MPSReports. The services of Microsoft Customer Support (CSS) send the TBM tool for email with instructions on how to capture the data. In some situations, the services of Microsoft Customer Support (CSS) may be asked to compress the contents of the folder C: \ Windows \ Cluster \ Reports and sent for analysis. Either method will compile the report required cluster validation.

To validate a failover cluster new or existing

1. Identify the server or servers you want to test and confirm that the characteristic cluster failover is installed:
   
   
   
   • If the cluster does not yet exist, select the servers you want included in the cluster and make sure you have installed the feature Failover Cluster on those servers. To install the feature, on a server running Windows Server 2008, click Start, Administrative Tools, Server Manager and Feature Summary, click Add Features. Use the Wizard to add the characteristic features Failover Cluster.
     
     Note that when you run the cluster validation wizard in unorganized clustered servers should indicate the names of all servers you want to perform the tests, not only one of them.
     
   • If the cluster already exists, make sure you know the name of the cluster or a cluster node.
   
   
2. Check the network or storage hardware to validate to confirm that you are connected to the servers.
   
3. Decide whether to run all validation tests available or only some of them.
   • The following guidelines can help you decide whether to run all tests:
   • For a cluster planned with all the hardware connected: run all tests.
     
   • For a planned cluster connected hardware parts: run tests on system configuration, testing and testing inventory for the connected hardware (ie network tests if the network is connected or evidence storage where storage connected).
     
   • For a cluster in which it plans to add a server: run all tests. Before running them, be sure to connect the networks and storage for all servers that you plan to include in the cluster.
     
   • To solve the problems of an existing cluster: if you must troubleshoot an existing cluster, you can run all tests, although it could run only the evidence relating to the problem.
4. Management snap-in failover cluster in the console tree, make sure management failover cluster is selected, and then click Administration, click Validate a Configuration.
5. Follow the wizard to specify the servers and testing, and run the tests.
6. To view the Help topics that can be used to interpret the results, click More information about cluster validation tests.
7. On the Summary page, click View Report and read the results of the tests. To view the results of the tests after closing the wizard, go to systemroot \ Cluster \ Reports \ Validation Report date and time. Html where systemroot is the folder where the operating system is installed (eg C: \ Windows).
8. To view the Help topics about cluster validation after you close the wizard, Management failover cluster, click Help, click Help Topics and click the Content tab. Then expand the content on support cluster failover and click the item on the validation of a cluster configuration failover.
   

[Bud]

In most cases, if not exceeded any of the tests of cluster validation wizard, Microsoft does not consider that the solution is compatible. There are exceptions to this rule, as the case of clusters (geographically dispersed) of several sites where there is no shared storage. In this scenario, the expected result Validation Wizard is not exceeded storage testing. If the rest of the tests are successful, it is considered that the solution is compatible. The type of test is not satisfied should serve as a guide for corrective action to be taken. For example, if the test passes storage "List all the disks' storage and subsequent tests do not run (because not be exceeded), please contact the storage vendor to solve the problem. Also, if not exceeded a network test related to IP addresses, please contact your network infrastructure equipment. Not all warnings or errors indicate the need to communicate with the services of Microsoft Customer Support (CSS). Most of the warnings or errors should encourage work with internal teams or with a specific hardware vendor.

Once you address and resolve the problems, it is necessary to run the cluster validation wizard. For a consistent configuration is necessary to run and completed successfully, without errors, all tests.